


Dutch Courage (You'll Need It)

by MA_96



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Angst, Character Development, Gen, M/M, Sexual Experimentation, i'm sorry lads, nearly a threesome but not quite, personal journeys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 05:03:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7030090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MA_96/pseuds/MA_96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Extended follow-on from 'Explanation'. Daniil wants to settle some questions, going through the grid as he seeks answers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Opening Up

**Author's Note:**

> Daniil's confused. Max offers help.

“What a shit weekend. I might as well not start the next race”

“It’s just a penalty, Dany. We all get them. Do you see me moaning because I started in the pit? We all have things we’re not happy with, we just move on”

Daniil rolled his eyes and looked at his fellow driver. Sitting on a terrace overlooking the Grand Hotel Hairpin, he found little to be positive about. Max sat beside him, the two still friendly given their team swap. “It’s easy for you. You have contacts” the Russian muttered.

Max turned his head, glad his sunglasses hid some of the surprise. Did Daniil know about him and Daniel? If so, his mood could lead him to out them. “We’re all in the same boat here” he managed.

“Oh, but are we? You took my seat. Were you banging Daniel before then, or is it just a Red Bull thing? You’re just as bad as Sebastian, he tried it on the other day” Daniil asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

The Dutchman looked around, then leant over. “None of your business. Maybe you’re being such a little shit because you’re the only one not getting any” he whispered harshly. He then went back inside to fetch another drink. 

Daniil frowned and crossed his arms. He knew about Max and Daniel, having seen their interactions away from the paddock, but wasn’t sure why it irritated him so much. Just like after his meeting with Sebastian, he felt uneasy. He’d gone away after and thought hard that night about his sexuality, deciding that his anger was making him see too much into what was otherwise a normal conversation. Surely he wasn’t about to change his mind over one weekend. 

After a while, he noticed that Max hadn’t come back, so got up and went inside to see where the other man was. The room was a standard suite with a bar, and that was where Max was sitting, drink in hand. The Russian took a seat on the barstool beside him, seeing that he’d removed his sunglasses. 

“If you’ve come in here to whinge, I’m going back to my motorhome. Who knows, I might even go and jack off over Daniel” Max began, setting down his beer. 

The Russian shook his head, reaching for a bottle. “I’m sorry, I’ve had a lot going on. Personal things that aren’t your fault” he apologised, removing the cap and taking a long drink.

“Like I said, we all have things on. Is it anything you want to get off your chest?” Max asked, resting his head on his hand.

“I don’t know if I’m straight anymore? Like, I’ve been with girls, but I can’t stop remembering the look on Seb’s face when he said you – Oh, fuck” he started, remembering that that conversation had partly been about Max, just about stopping himself.

The Dutchman relaxed, a perplexed look on his face. He didn’t ask where the rest of that sentence was going; Daniil clearly had bigger issues than that. “Is this the first time you’ve felt like this?” he asked, remembering the first time he himself had been in that situation. Except that getting with guys had never been an issue, he’d never really asked himself why he liked it so much. But he could understand enough to empathise with Daniil.

“I don’t know…I remember thinking once about one of the guys. I wondered what he looked like without the racing suit on, but that was some time ago” he replied.

“You must’ve been a good thought if you still remember it. Who was it?” 

Daniil blushed. “Kimi. Oh my god, I can’t believe we’re talking about this” he admitted, covering his face with his hands to hide the redness in his cheeks. 

Max giggled. “You had the hots for Kimi? I can’t see it, but there you go. Some say he has a remarkable sense of humour”

The Dutchman then received a light smack on the arm, both of them now laughing. Daniil somehow felt better already as he kept sipping his beer. Maybe Max was the right person to get him out of the mood he’d been in. 

“Alright, alright. It was only once though”

“But you’re still remembering it! Is this why you’ve been so angsty?”

The Russian nodded. “I guess so. I only really got touchy after seeing Seb, so it must be. Maybe you can help me find someone, seeing as you and Daniel are involved. I’m sorry again for bringing him into this, I didn’t mean what I said before” he suggested.

“Is there nobody you have in mind? Apart from Kimi” Max asked, suppressing a laugh.

Daniil smacked his arm again. “You can’t tell him about that! But seriously, I don’t know. Esteban’s quite cute, I guess” he said, thinking about it. “Or maybe Jolyon”

As Daniil spoke, Max listened intently. It pleased him to see the change in his friend, how quickly he’d opened up. With the right person, it made such a difference. “Do you feel better than you did earlier?” he asked, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket.

“Yeah, I do. Thanks”

There was a momentary silence as Max checked his phone, typed a message, and put it away. “Good, I’m glad I could help. If you need to talk, you know where I am” he assured, resting a hand on the Russian’s shoulder.


	2. Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniil's sins, part one.

Later that evening, Max went to see Daniel as usual, greeted with a kiss once he’d been let in. Since they’d decided to stop being casual and try having a serious relationship, the Australian had become increasingly affectionate, something which Max perhaps hadn’t expected.

“How’s your day been?” Daniel asked, stepping back.

“Okay. I was talking with Dany earlier. He’s been having some issues recently and I thought I could help” Max replied, perching himself on the edge of the large table.

“Oh?” Daniel came closer again, Max’s legs instinctively hooking round his thighs and holding them close. “What’s wrong with him?”

Max nodded, taking his lover’s hands. “You can’t tell anyone else. You promise?” he asked, entwining their fingers. Daniel nodded. “He thinks he might be gay, bisexual at the least, but doesn’t really know how to deal with it. So we had a chat, and I think he feels a bit better now”

Daniel’s eyes widened a little. He never thought Daniil would be one to question his sexuality. “Does he know about us?” he asked. 

Max smiled and pulled Daniel close, nosing at his neck. “Yeah. Don’t ask how…” he hummed. The Australian smiled and tilted his head to the side. 

“What did you tell him?” he whispered, letting go of Max’s hands. 

“I just let him talk about things that’ve been playing on his mind. I promised him I wouldn’t tell anyone, and that includes you”

“Hmm…”

-

Back in his own motorhome, Daniil poured a glass of water and sat on his sofa. The talk with Max had made him feel relieved, and he let himself remember the conversation freely. It had made him wonder if he was bisexual; it was entirely possible that he was interested in both men and women, and that some of those could be other guys in the paddock.   
The thought about Kimi which he mentioned earlier wasn’t as long ago as he led on to Max. It had happened just weeks before while he was in bed, unable to sleep. Following his third place at Shanghai, Daniil had been up late celebrating, but his hype carried on long after the party had ended. As he lay in bed, he remembered how ecstatic he’d felt standing on that podium, then the congratulations from the other drivers. Closing his eyes, he saw the team below, their faces so happy for him. Then he was at the party, talking with the other drivers; Seb, Max, Lewis, Sergio. And Kimi, helping himself to whatever champagne was left. For a split second, their eyes met across the bar, and Daniil let his stare linger a little longer than intended as Kimi finished his drink. He let his gaze wander down to the Finn’s throat, watching his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. That thought was at the forefront of Daniil’s mind now as he lay in bed alone. He could clearly envisage how light Kimi’s eyes were, how his hands closed around the glass as he raised it to his lips. Eyes still shut, Daniil registered that he was thinking more than he should be about the Ferrari man, but couldn’t bring himself to stop. He didn’t pause as he moved a hand to the waistband of his boxers, dipping his fingers under the elastic as they slowly went south.

The touch of his own fingers closing round his cock sent a pleasant sensation through Daniil’s body, and he hummed lowly. He felt himself harden at the touch, still thinking about Kimi. Everything felt warm, the sheet too close, like a second skin. He threw it aside, shuffling out of his boxers in order to touch harder and faster. His cock now at full stature, twitching under his hand, Daniil, reached under the bed and found a tube of hand cream. Reluctantly letting himself go, he squeezed some onto his fingers and resumed his actions, stroking up and down, twisting his wrist and pushing up into his own hand. Daniil could hear how harsh his breathing was, the sound of his heart pounding in his chest as he ran his free hand across his chest, pinching and caressing, imagining that it was Kimi’s hands teasing him. The images in his head were becoming fainter and fainter, things merging as Daniil squeezed his eyes shut, mouth open and back arched as his hand worked at a furious pace. Soon, every fibre of his being was white hot, adrenaline rushing like electricity as he stopped holding back.

When Daniil came round from his finish, he felt tired and sticky, his body slow to move. Looking down, he saw his chest spattered with streams of white, his cock now limp against his thighs. For a moment he was peaceful, but then the memories came back and that satisfaction changed to uneasiness. The realisation that he’d just made himself come, over Kimi of all people, was both immensely satisfying and sinful at the same time. Yet Daniil found some element of peace as he lay in the mess of his madness, his mind at ease for now. At least, until he saw Kimi at the next race.


	3. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time out with Carlos and the next result.

The next time Daniil saw anyone else from the grid was the race weekend at Canada. He’d been too deep in thought to even message anyone, not even Max. Free practise was a welcome distraction as he went out to see how the car was performing on track, while the team worked on possible improvements back in the garage. Then he pitted to take a short break while any adjustments were made. 

“Hey Dany!”

That damn voice. He turned to see his teammate Carlos standing behind him, a grin on his face. The Spaniard was friendly enough, so Daniil returned the gesture. “Carlos! What’s up?” he replied, going for a firm pat on the shoulder.

Carlos laughed and came closer, the pair starting to wander over to the pit wall, sitting up on top of it. A few cars whizzed past on their laps, both men watching as they disappeared into the distance.

“We haven’t heard from you for a while, the guys were thinking you weren’t well. But you’re here and ready to race, so that’s all good. How was the break for you?” the Spaniard asked cheerily, dangling one leg over the edge of the wall.

Daniil smiled wryly. “Oh you know, the usual. Not much sleep, too much excitement” he replied.

His teammate laughed, head turning as another car passed them. “Maybe we could go out for some drinks after this race? What do you think?”

There was a pause as Daniil thought about it. Carlos was a decent enough guy, so surely a drink or two wouldn’t hurt. “Sounds good. I’ll get the first round in” he agreed, sealing the deal with a handshake and a wink. The pair then continued to chat idly until they were called back to do another run in their cars. Work on settings carried on through the weekend, even after a successful qualifying for both Daniil and Carlos. Placed fifth and ninth, things looked promising for the race, despite a patchy-looking weather forecast. 

The race itself was nothing extraordinary; Mercedes and Ferrari up front, Red Bull looking competitive. Daniil found himself inside the top ten, fighting with the Williams and Force India drivers for an eventual second place finish behind Rosberg. After everything that had been going on, it was a relief for Daniil to focus on something else. As he shook the champagne, he temporarily forgot his fantasy over the man who stood third on the podium.


	4. Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniil's still casual, Max is confused, and Daniel gets suspicious.

“Turned yourself around this week, nice job!”

It didn’t take long for Max to find Daniil in his motorhome afterwards, joining him for yet another drink. The pair were now close enough to spend time alone, Daniil comfortable that he could talk openly with the young Dutchman.

“Thanks. I’m finally redeeming myself after the crashes” Daniil laughed.

Max grinned, tapping his fingers on the arm of the chair. It was good to see Daniil starting to come back and settle into the drive again. For a while, conversation was mostly about the race, results, and team talks. But they both knew things were going to move onto their previous discussion eventually, so Max decided to just go straight in and steer the topic towards Kimi.

“How was it being next to a certain Finn on the podium?” he asked, keen to hear how the other man answered.

Daniil then looked past him, pausing. “It was okay. I thought about what we said before, and I feel a bit better thinking I’m into guys. But maybe Kimi isn’t the right one after all. I think I was just frustrated and needed something to focus on” he replied slowly, as if he’d spaced out slightly.

The Dutchman frowned, pouting slightly. After that talk they’d had, he couldn’t quite believe what his friend had just said. “What do you mean?” he asked, surprised.

“He’s too old for me. Experienced yes, but really not what I probably want. I’d say I want someone young and patient” Daniil replied with a smile. 

After that, Max decided to take some time to reflect on what Daniil had said. It wasn’t a real problem, but it did make him question the Russian’s train of thought and possible actions. Maybe he himself had become a possible target because of their closeness? Or it could just have been because he understood how Daniil felt. It could even be something to do with the seat-swapping thing which had led to Max and Daniel seeing each other. Only time would reveal what was going on inside the Russian’s mind.

-

It took many months for Max to get his answer. Races came and went, and he found himself on the podium more and more. Sometimes Daniel joined him there, and they’d soak each other in champagne. The taste and smell of alcohol and sweat lingered late into the night when they spent time together in private. While he did love Daniel, Max began to feel over time that he was becoming distant. He’d always shiver and sigh when the Australian touched or kissed him, and savour how good it felt to fuck him, but his mind was wandering more frequently. 

At first Daniel didn’t notice, but he was aware of the face that Max and Daniil were spending more time together. He’d see them walk the track before free practise, the smile on Max’s face clear from a mile. It hurt him to consider the option that their situation was just casual sex with accidental feelings. So he tried to avoid looking at both his current and former teammates, diverting his thoughts to the next race and the car. But it was hard to ignore when Daniil kept making such aggressive moves, regardless of who was in his way or the penalty he’d receive because of it. The Australian kept his mouth shut, but inside he was fast building a resentment towards the Russian.


	5. Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lads go for dinner, Max has plans, Carlos gets ideas

Max didn’t notice Daniel’s changing feelings straight away, but then he didn’t really feel much different towards Daniil. Sure they were spending more time together, but it wasn’t a problem for him. As far as he was concerned, the Russian was interested in other guys. That became clearer during the break over Christmas when the guys all met up for dinner at a fancy restaurant. Turning up with his teammate, Max saw Daniil in close conversation with Esteban. He knew how Daniel felt about their friendship getting stronger, even though the Australian hadn’t mentioned anything, and sat down on the opposite side of the table with Valtteri. Other drivers soon joined them; both Felipe’s, Lewis, Carlos. Drinks were ordered quickly, everyone discussing their plans for the break. 

“Can I talk with you a minute?”

Max turned at the sound of Daniel’s voice, the Australian nearly whispering. He nodded, excusing them both and going out to the terrace. It was a cool evening, the last of the sun fading away on the horizon.

“What’s wrong?” Max asked, checking that nobody was around as they leant against the wrought iron balcony.

“Is there anything going on between you and Daniil? You’ve been spending so much time together lately” Daniel replied, his tone a little sad.

The Dutchman sighed and shook his head, closing the gap between himself and his teammate. “Absolutely not. I love you, not him. He’s just been working through some things, that’s all. Come here” he murmured, his gaze going back and forth between his lover’s eyes and lips.

Daniel went to reply, but thought better of it and let Max lean to kiss him, eyes fluttering shut. As doubtful as he felt, he couldn’t deny that being alone with the Dutchman made him feel unlike anything else. His hands automatically went to Max’s waist, sliding up under his shirt and holding him close as he was pressed back against the metal bars.

Then it was over, Max watching his lover take a breath before opening his eyes. “Maybe we can carry on later, my place?” he suggested, pressing a last kiss to Daniel’s parted lips. 

There was a nod of agreement, and they turned to go back inside.

Back at the table, conversation was still lively, attention shifting to the Red Bull drivers as they sat down.

“Quick team talk there? Come on, put your order in so we can all eat” Massa laughed, nudging Max in the ribs. 

The pair then ordered their meals, Max glancing over at Daniel with a look of promise. The Australian smiled slightly, a barely noticeable gesture which Daniil happened to see. It reminded him of what he wanted, and the drink wasn’t helping. 

-

Later that evening, Daniil found himself on a private roof terrace in London, drink in hand. Following the meal, himself and a few others had carried on socialising, booking the terrace and penthouse. First Marcus had left, then Esteban, leaving Daniil and Carlos alone. The sun had long set, and below them were street lights as far as the eye could see. The air was much cooler and the wind had picked up, but they didn’t mind it. After a lengthy discussion about the forthcoming season and holidays, they paused and looked to the sky. 

The Russian turned and set his gaze on Carlos, how the change in light had altered the contours of his face, how his throat moved when he swallowed his drink. He could feel himself drawn, hoping Carlos would be willing to reciprocate.

“Hey, turn to look at me for a moment” he asked softly.

The Spaniard did so, his eyes taking a moment to focus. They were blacker than the sky, watery, beautiful. “Hm?”

Daniil moved closer, eyes held in a strange stare. “I want you”

There wasn’t an immediate response, and the Russian stopped. Carlos looked through him, eyes glassy as he focused. “Dany, I have a girlfriend” he mumbled, swaying.

“Please” Daniil hated to beg, but he felt so needy that he was getting past the point of caring.

“I’m not Max, go fuck him” Carlos said slowly, turning away.

After that, Daniil watched as the Spaniard wandered back inside, picking up his drink as he left. Then everything was quiet, and he sat on the floor. The tone of Carlos’ voice wasn’t malicious, but the worst thing was that he had an idea that Daniil wanted to be with someone else. He just hoped that Carlos would forget what he’d said and that things between them would be alright the next time they met.


	6. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *teeny* chapter, not entirely sure but we can see how this one's going

It was weeks after the dinner that Daniil saw any of the other drivers again. He hadn’t heard anything from Carlos, and he took that as a good thing. During some team sessions, he kept himself to himself until Max turned up one rainy afternoon. Greeting some of the mechanics, he found Daniil at the back of the garage.

“You got a minute, Dany?” he asked, glancing around. Most mechanics had disappeared to a different garage, leaving the two men alone.

“Sure, I have all day” the Russian replied slowly.

Max came closer and sat beside his friend, maybe too close for comfort. “I was talking to Carlos the other week. Said you tried to come onto him. What happened?”

“You and Daniel went outside for ages, I know what for”

Max rolled his eyes and sighed. “For god’s sake don’t be so stupid. Now Carlos knows exactly who you wanted to be kissing, and it’s your own fault. I can’t play, it’s not fair on Daniel” he explained.

“Maybe if you just ended it then I could have a chance to know what it feels like to-“ Daniil just about stopped himself, but both of them knew where the sentence was going.

“Don’t hurt yourself chasing me. Find a nice girl or guy at a club and get the drive out of your system” Max advised. As much as he didn’t want to say no to what might be a good time, he knew that one thing would lead to another and the situation would spiral right out. After a brief pause, the Dutchman stood up as if to leave, but Daniil too was up like a shot.

“Max, don’t go” he said sharply, grabbing hold of his friend’s hand. 

The force pulled them together, and Daniil wasted no time in planting a firm kiss on the other man’s lips. It felt longer than mere seconds, but he was gasping for breath when they separated. Max froze, his expression dazed, in disbelief of what had just happened. By the time his mind had caught up, his hands were moving over the Russian’s waist as they kissed for a second time. Entirely voluntarily, Max treated Daniil the same way he did Daniel in how he held him and sighed against his lips even though every second was wrong.

“Please…when you talked to me back at Monaco, it felt so great. Now this feels so natural, I want you to stay” Daniil murmured, leaning back slightly so that their foreheads touched. “Don’t leave, not yet”


	7. Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> long time coming, finally Dany gonna get somewhere

They stayed in the garage for a while, even after the mechanics had left, the Dutchman unable to tear himself away. The feeling in every aspect of Daniil’s voice and expression showed a new vulnerability, and Max wondered if the admission about Kimi had been a lie in order to keep them close. But the longer he sat and let Daniil kiss him, the less he thought about those kinds of things.

“Will you come back with me? I’m in a decent hotel not far away” Daniil asked softly, hands gently cupping his friend’s face.

“If only you’d admitted before it was me over Kimi…why didn’t you just say…” Max replied with a question of his own, closing his eyes.

The Russian lowered his hands and placed them in his lap. “It was him, but it’s turning into you and I can’t stop putting myself in Daniel’s place. I thought I could deal with it but I can’t” he murmured.

Max opened his eyes and saw tears in Daniil’s, the Russian looking down at his hands. This was clearly going to be difficult for the both of them, but if they went the right way about things then it didn’t have to get worse. As they sat in thought, he reached and took his friend’s hands. “Just for tonight I’ll go back with you…” he agreed.

Catching a taxi to the hotel, Daniil showed Max up to his room and let him inside. It wasn’t overly lavish, but wasn’t a poor man’s room. They set their jackets and trainers by the door as the Russian locked it, and there was a silence as the two men turned to face each other, now completely alone. 

“I’m guessing you had a reason for bringing me back” Max said, a slight smile on his face.

Daniil looked him up and down for a moment, then went closer until he was standing chest to chest with Max, feeling breathing on his face. “I just want to feel you” he replied, barely a whisper.

This time, Max was initiating the kiss, nipping at Daniil’s lower lip, seeking more. The Russian gave in, sliding his hands up under Max’s shirt and feeling the skin prick at the touch. 

There was a hum of approval from the Dutchman, giving Daniil the confidence to pull them closer together and deepen the kiss. He could feel Max’s hands at his waist, frustrating given he was wearing overalls from the testing session.

“Fucking clothes…” he muttered, breaking the kiss to fiddle with the fastenings.

Max laughed and glanced over his shoulder before stepping backwards towards the bed. He hadn’t planned on anything more than kissing, but the sight of Daniil pulling down his overalls was too much for him to handle. He hadn’t even done that with Daniel, and for a second he remembered the Australian. Then he snapped back to reality as his knees hit the frame and he fell onto the bed, waiting expectantly for his friend. 

As the Dutchman watched, Daniil stepped out of his overalls and slowly walked over in nothing but a vest and boxers. He appreciated how Max eyed him keenly, pupils large with the need between them. Not even Daniil had seen this coming, that he’d have Max Verstappen, one of his closest friends, waiting for him on a bed in a hotel.

“Your turn” he said, pulling at Max’s shirt.

The other man stood and removed his shirt, then his jeans before sitting back down as Daniil quickly pulled off his vest. Both now only in boxers, they marvelled at the differences in their bodies, the lines of muscle, defined by shadows. Lying back, Max beckoned his friend closer, feeling himself get hotter and harder as Daniil crawled up the bed and knelt over him, all slim and long legs. The tent in the Russian’s boxers was also hard to ignore, and Max sat up, trapping it between them. Daniil stifled a moan and looked down at his friend with hazy eyes.

“You look fucking handsome…” he breathed, running his fingers over Max’s chest.

There was a soft moan as the Dutchman leant up and gestured for Daniil to kiss him, hands creeping around his waist, fingertips down the back of his boxers. He complied immediately, both men falling down so that the Russian was on top, hips pressed close. For a while, they kissed and rubbed against each other until they were breathless and sighing, but it still didn’t feel enough. Max managed to prop himself up on his elbows, seeing his friend look perfectly debauched above. The look on his face was pure want, and Max decided to push their boundaries. He leant close to the Russian’s ear and gently nipped it.

“Have you ever been fucked by a guy, Dany?” he teased, hearing a gasp.

The Russian shook his head. “No”

“Do you want me to show you how it feels?”

They turned to face each other, Daniil mildly surprised at the offer. He saw the seriousness and need in Max’s eyes, and nodded slowly. Neither of them thought about if it was the right thing to do, or the repercussions it could have. All sense was reduced to touch and sound as Daniil lay down on the bed and Max knelt over him.


	8. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-race thoughts

Frustration. A theme which was carried through to the race at the Hungaroring. After a disappointing race, Daniil was back in his motorhome alone, considering the safety of his seat. He’d already been demoted once, but the possibility of being replaced next season by Gasly was becoming more likely unless his results were more consistent. He was there for the best part of an hour uninterrupted until there was a firm knock on his door.

“Hey Dany, you answering today?”

It was Daniel, and the Russian froze. Maybe he’d found out about the hotel. He got up slowly and went to let him in, relieved to see the trademark grin on the Australian’s face.

“You alright?” Daniel asked, closing the door.

“Hmm, just thinking about how wrong my season’s going. I’ll be lucky to keep my seat at this rate” came the response.

“I’ve come round to see if you’d like to join us for some drinks. Just us, Carlos, and Max. Fancy it?”

The friendly question was a mild surprise; either Daniel had no idea what had happened, or he was hiding it pretty well. The Russian agreed, although he was a little reluctant. If Daniel did know about him and Max, it would mean that he’d be on the minds of them all, regardless of conversation. 

A short while later, both men met up with their teammates at a local bar, going out to a private lounge and terrace. They ordered drinks and sat outside, the air still warm. For some time, talk was all about the race weekend, and it was killing Daniil wondering if anyone was going to mention his sexuality.

“I think we should raise a toast”

He looked over as Daniel raised his glass, noticing the smile had disappeared. They all followed suit, silence falling as they drank. It wasn’t long after that that Carlos said his goodbyes, and Daniil felt he should too. He knew that Max and Daniel were still close, and he’d hardly made eye contact with the Dutchman all evening. He finished his drink and stood up, excusing himself as he turned to leave. 

The night went slowly after that, the Russian resuming his trail of thought about the mess between himself, Max, and Daniel. Turning all but one light off, he remembered how he’d let Max fuck him. The curtains were open, a white shimmer settling over them and defining each movement. Eyes half closed, Daniil twitched as he reminded himself of how it had first hurt and he’d heard himself moan through gritted teeth. Then Max had stilled, waiting forever before he moved and all that pain became unimaginably pleasurable. It maybe shouldn’t have felt that good to be lying there with his knees by his shoulders at the mercy of his friend, but Daniil had crossed that line and wanted it again. If it happened again then he could take the opportunity to return the favour.

Meanwhile Max and Daniel were still at the bar. Alone together and out of sight of others, the temptation to ask after his lover’s new relationship was too much for Daniel to resist. He turned to look at Max for a moment, wondering how he’d respond.

“We need to talk about Daniil”

Max took a drink and returned the stare, his eyes locked with Daniel’s. He looked calm, but that might have been hiding something. “Okay, what about him?”

“He couldn’t even look at you. Anything I should know about?”

The tone of Daniel’s voice suggested that he was fully aware of what was going on, and Max realised he couldn’t lie. He was yet to find out the other side of his teammate, the other reason why people had given him the Honey Badger nickname, and he didn’t want to start now.

“It’s hard to explain-“

“I’d rather you acted like a man and admitted that you slept together. I know the look of shame, and he had it both here tonight and earlier when I saw him. For fuck’s sake Max, what have you done?” Daniel interrupted, trying to remain calm.

“I know it’s bad but he needed someone. Ever since Monaco he was on about his sexuality, that he wanted someone he couldn’t have, and now I think he made it up to take me away from you. He knew about us from the start and I didn’t want him to ruin what we have, which is now what may have happened” Max replied.

Part of Daniel wanted to walk away, but he also wanted to stay. He had a connection with Max that he didn’t want to lose, but he hated the idea of sharing him. The strange thing about the conversation was how calm they both were. 

“Why didn’t you tell me anything?”

“I heard you have two sides to that nickname, and I don’t really want to be on the wrong side of it?”

The Australian then relaxed slightly. He would never hurt Max, because it could have repercussions involving their seats. He cautiously reached to run a thumb over the other man’s cheek, feeling him still almost completely.

“I never wanted to hurt you, Daniel. You’ve got to understand how difficult it is being torn between a friend and a lover” the Dutchman whispered.

Daniel nodded, even if he didn’t fully understand. Being with Max was satisfying for many reasons, more than with most women, and he didn’t want that to change.

“Tell me everything, back at my van”


	9. Decisive Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not entirely sure what happened here, it was a late night thing :P

It was nearing midnight when they got back to Daniel’s motorhome, quiet in the darkness. There, all curtains were closed and a few lamps put on as both men sat on the bed, the Australian pensive.

“What do you want me to say?” Max asked.

“Everything. In detail, tell me all of it” Daniel replied calmly.

The Dutchman took a breath. “Okay…we’d been talking for ages, and he started this whole thing at Monaco- you know about that. I went to see him after he made a pass at Carlos, and he kissed me in the garage. And I kissed him back…Dany knows what he’s doing and he really feels it, he needs it. I went to leave, but ended up going to his room for one night, and we messed around-“

“What do you mean ‘messed around’?”

“He was teasing me, we were kissing and undressing, and I had sex with him. Ask him yourself, he’ll say the same thing”

The confidence and brazen nature of the admission had Daniel reeling, and he felt his eyes well up. Tears of frustration and anger rather than sadness, he felt betrayed. 

“How can you be so casual…” he asked softly, only just seeing Max between his fingers, head in his hands. 

“You of all people know how open I am. Maybe you should be grateful I haven’t thought of an orgy yet, because I was thinking of you as I had that Russian laid out on the bed with my cock up his ass. Damn, you know how I feel about you, I love you!” Max exclaimed, raising his voice towards the end of the sentence. 

The admission and tone of voice took Daniel aback. In the time they’d been seeing each other, he couldn’t recall a single time until now that Max had said he loved him. “I want to get him round here now. Prove to me that you love me”

They stared at each other for a moment, sussing out feelings. Daniel knew Max had his phone, and watched as he took it out and dialled Daniil’s number. Then he got up, going to meet the Russian outside ready to bring him back.

-

After the drinks, Daniil was surprised that Max had asked to meet him, but he wasn’t about to decline the offer. He tidied himself up, had a cold drink, and went to meet his friend outside. He found Max standing a few feet from his door, and they wandered into the shadows away from prying eyes.

“One round not enough? Which bar this time?” he asked wryly.

“I didn’t want it to come to this…Daniel knows, I told him everything” Max replied in a hushed tone.

Daniil immediately fell silent, eyes widening slightly. “Oh...what happened, did you argue?”

The Dutchman shook his head. “He wants us all together, for me to prove I love him. How you come into it, that’s for him to choose”

They then began to walk, Max leading them to Daniel’s door and let them inside. The Australian was sitting in a chair with his hands in his lap, eyeing both men as they stood before him. He noted that the Russian looked blankly at his feet, while the young Dutchman held him in a somewhat confident stare.

“Max, come here”

Doing as asked, Max stood directly in front of his lover, then still holding the stare, knelt down. Whatever Daniel had in mind, he was going to alter it slightly. Never breaking eye contact, Daniel rose to his feet and removed his shirt, unfastened his belt, and slipped out of his jeans, tossing it all in Daniil’s direction. When the Russian looked up, he couldn’t speak. 

He saw Daniel slouched in the chair with Max between his knees, the younger slowly teasing his cock with long licks and touches up and down his thighs. Daniil watched, frozen and fixated, burning up at the sight of the Australian’s hands moving between the arms of the chair and Max’s face, teeth digging into his lip. Then he was humming, encouraging, moaning as Max pushed his legs further apart and took his whole length into his mouth with seemingly little effort. Time stood still as he watched, questioning why he was there and if he should go.

Just as he decided it would be best to leave, he saw Daniel tense, arching off the chair as he came. There was no noise, everything blanked out except the sight of the two men before him as Daniil paused, seeing Max lean back and swallow. Daniel was now leaning back with narrow eyes, caressing his lover’s cheek lazily as his eyes adjusted and focused on their friend.

“Dany...how do you feel? Max, go and make him feel accommodated” he murmured.

The Dutchman then stood up and turned, Daniil seeing streams of white on his chin. Still, no words came to mind as the younger man came closer and stripped out of his clothes. It was just as he remembered, firm and toned, pale. Max came closer and teased the Russian’s shirt, sliding his hands underneath and leaning closer to kiss him. It was a strange experience kissing Max while tasting Daniel on his lips as they pressed closer together and pulled at each other’s clothes. It was easy to forget that Daniel was there, albeit wiped out, and that it was his motorhome, but once Daniil started he just couldn’t stop. He wanted a repeat, but better.

“You want me to fuck you again, Dany? Tell me what you want, don’t miss anything” Max mused, hands wandering over his friend’s slim frame.

“Hmm, you can fuck me till I’m coming dry…feel how hard I am, Max? It’s all for you and I want you to get me down and really make me moan for you” Daniil whispered between kisses, their bare cocks sliding hot against each other, drawing sighs against skin. 

Max took his friend’s cock and curled a hand around it, hearing a rawer moan as his mouth fell open. “You’re such a slut, Dany…come to bed and I’ll see what I can do”

From the chair, Daniel watched them, taking in every sound and movement, seeing changes between himself and Daniil. He thought this meeting would make him angry because of Max’s infidelity, but instead he felt a strange peace. It was clear how much the Russian wanted it, enough to make him desperate but also cocky. The pair went to the bed, Daniil falling first and pulling Max down with him, writhing against the sheets.

The Australian stood up and silently wandered into the bedroom, limp cock bobbing back to life as he caught Daniil’s attention, eyes meeting for a moment before Daniel went to lean against the wall. Then Max gave up his affections on the Russian’s collarbones, the three men looking at each other in a wordless conversation. 

“I’m not stopping you” Daniel said plainly, ignoring his own needs.

Max opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted as Daniil rolled his hips and leant to suck a kiss to his shoulder. The Australian raised his eyebrows in response, which Max took as a signal to lean away from his friend.

“Dany, turn over”

The Russian did as asked, shuffling up the bed and rolling onto his front, the friction far better against the luxurious duvet. He was facing Daniel, feeling Max run touches down his back and over his ass, then under his hips to make him kneel. It was a strange position, Daniil feeling cold and vulnerable while also turned on at the thought of being taken from behind. 

Under Daniel’s watchful eye, Max spread the Russian’s legs and spat on his fingers, easing the first into the other man’s hole with expected resistance. Daniil moaned at the feeling and closed his eyes, reminding himself it only got better. Two more fingers followed, teasing his prostate and sending him to the brink before Max removed them and began whispering with Daniel. 

“Please Max, I want it, I’m ready…” the Russian managed, reaching to wrap a hand round his own cock.

“Touch yourself once and you won’t be allowed to come. Fucking listen, you little slut”

The ferocity in Max’s voice took him by surprise, and it only seemed a second after that Daniil felt the Dutchman’s tip at his hole, and he braced himself. He held his breath as Max pushed forward, releasing a relieved sigh when he’d settled. The first thrusts were shallow and slow as always, Daniil pushing himself back against his friend. He was wound so tight, fighting not to let himself come or touch himself, because Max didn’t go harder or deeper. Something was different, and more than likely it was down to Daniel being there watching.

“Please, please…” he begged, balling his fists in the sheets.

It took a moment or so for him to then realise that Max had stopped, leaving him whining and panting with his ass in the air. The Dutchman pulled out and sat back, doubting suddenly what he was doing. The point of bringing Daniil round hadn’t been for sex, and it seemed that his decision to stop had proved to Daniel that the Russian wasn’t the one.

“What happened?” came Daniil’s weak voice as he turned, looking thoroughly debauched.

“I’m so sorry…”

“You know what, don’t explain. I’m going back to my motorhome. See you at Germany”

Getting dressed as best he could, Daniil made his way out of the van and stumbled back to his own, locking himself in the homely darkness. Not only was his season going downhill, now Max had lost the interest in being with him. He was glad for a week to get sorted before he had to see Max or Daniel again. Going through to the shower, he stripped down again and turned on the water, needing to rid himself of the release that Max had built up. He leant on the wall, wrapped a hand around his length and stifled a moan as he stroked hard and fast. It didn’t take long for him to let go, wailing at the pain of being so pent-up. He carried on, working himself to another finish with ease, his mind blank.

Meanwhile, Max and Daniel sat on the bed together as they had done, the younger unable to look his lover in the eyes. The fact that he’d not been able to finish with Daniil was playing on his mind. Daniel watched, wondering what to say or do. Part of him wanted for them both to get dressed and talk it out, while another wanted to thank him in kindness.

“I suppose you’re glad he’s gone” Max muttered.

“I don’t know what to think…Why did you change your mind?”

The younger man raised his head and met Daniel’s stare, for once looking something other than confident. “You wanted me to prove that I love you, and I realised that I couldn’t fully involve myself and fuck Dany with conviction while you watched. I was thinking maybe we should do it, because you haven’t properly fucked me and I want you to. I want you to bend me over the arm of your chair and really let me have it. I want you to get rough, Daniel”

The way Max spoke and the look in his eyes got the Australian burning. Since they’d started seeing each other, he’d never been dominant. There had been times when he’d wanted to, but had held back because Max was so young, but now he knew that the Dutchman was ready and could take it.

“You want me to do it here, now?” he asked, still not really sure if Max was serious.

“This boner won’t sort itself out”


End file.
